When can I collect Social Security survivor benefits at 59 with not enough work credits myself?

I'm sorry for your loss. As a widow, you can collect reduced survivor benefits as early as age 60 (that's next year for you). If you wait until your Full Retirement Age (probably 67 depending on birth year), you'd get 100% of what your husband would have received at his FRA.And no, if you take reduced survivor benefits early, they do NOT increase when you reach your FRA. The reduction is permanent. However, there are strategies worth considering in your situation.

Thank you for the clear explanation. That's disappointing about the permanent reduction. Do you know roughly what percentage I'd get if I claim at 60 versus waiting until my FRA?

I went through this when my wife passed. Here's what you need to know:1. At age 60, you can claim survivor benefits at about 71.5% of your husband's full benefit amount2. Each year you wait (until your FRA), the percentage increases3. At your Full Retirement Age, you get 100% of what he would have receivedSince your husband never filed for benefits, the SSA will calculate what he would have received at his FRA. That becomes your 100% amount.One strategy to consider: If you can work even part-time now to earn some credits on your own record, you might be able to claim reduced survivor benefits at 60, then switch to your own retirement benefit later if it would be higher.

this is the best advice. my neighbor did exactly this. claimed survivor at 60, built her own work record, and at 70 switched to her own benefit which was higher cuz of delayed credits. very smart approach!!

The SSA is SO FRUSTRATING!!!!! When my husband died they told me THREE DIFFERENT THINGS on THREE DIFFERENT CALLS!! I finally had to drive 2 hours to an office that wasn't even in my county because my local one was

I had similar issues trying to contact SSA about my widow benefits. After trying for weeks, I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual SSA representative in under 20 minutes. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puUWay better than waiting on hold for hours or dealing with endless busy signals. The agent I spoke with confirmed I could collect reduced survivor benefits at 60 and explained exactly what documentation I needed to provide.

my mom was in simular situation she got widows benifits at 60 cuz she needed money then but its like 30% less then waiting til full age which i think is 67 for you probly??? but once you take the lower amount its stuck there forever so just be super sure about your choice!!! Good luck!!!!

The reduction is actually 28.5% if claiming at age 60, not a full 30%. But your point stands - it's a significant permanent reduction. For people born in 1960 or later, FRA is indeed 67.

There's something important no one has mentioned yet. If you become disabled before your FRA, you can receive survivor benefits as early as age 50. If you have any medical conditions that might qualify, this could be worth exploring.Also, if you're still caring for children under 16 from your marriage, there could be benefits available now, regardless of your age. Different rules apply for disabled adult children as well.Another often missed strategy: If you remarry after age 60, you can still collect survivor benefits on your deceased husband's record. This surprises many people who assume remarriage always ends eligibility.

Our children are all grown now, so that won't apply for me. I'm not disabled either. I had no idea about the remarriage rule though - that's interesting to know! I'm not in a relationship, but it's good information to have just in case. Thank you for these additional insights.

im sorry abt ur husband passing. :-( my sister just went thru this exact thing!!! she had to bring marriage license, his death certif and her birth certif when she applied. bring extra copies they sometimes loose stuff lol

Thank you for the tip about bringing extra copies. I'll definitely do that. Did your sister find the application process difficult? I'm a little anxious about handling all the paperwork correctly.

i just remembered something!!! u should check if you can get Medicare at 60 as a widow!!!!! i think thats a special rule they have. might save u $$$ on health insurance!!!

That's not quite accurate. Medicare generally starts at 65 regardless of whether you're receiving survivor benefits. There are exceptions if you're disabled and receiving SSDI for 24 months, but being a widow doesn't automatically qualify you for early Medicare.

oh sorry my bad!! must of misunderstood what my friend told me 😳

One more important point about survivor benefits planning: You need to consider how your own retirement benefit compares to your survivor benefit.If you do have some work credits and could eventually qualify for retirement benefits (you need 40 credits total), you might be able to use this strategy:1. Take reduced survivor benefits at 602. Switch to your own retirement benefit at 70 (if it would be higher)Or the reverse:1. Take your own reduced retirement benefit at 62 (if you have enough credits by then)2. Switch to full survivor benefits at your FRAYou can't take both simultaneously, but you can switch between them to maximize your lifetime benefits. This is why it's worth getting a proper benefits analysis done.

This is really helpful! I worked part-time for about 15 years total, so I do have some credits, but I'm not sure if I have 40. I should probably check my Social Security statement online to find out exactly where I stand, then consider which of these strategies might work best for me.

Don't forget SSI is different from SSDI and survivor benefits!!! If your assets are low enough you might qualify for SSI too! The asset limit is like $2000 for individuals I think?The whole system is DELIBERATELY CONFUSING in my opinion!!! They hope people will just get frustrated and give up claiming what they deserve!!! 😤

SSI is unlikely to be relevant in this situation. Survivor benefits are typically substantially higher than the SSI federal benefit rate ($943/month for individuals in 2025). SSI is meant as a safety net for those with very limited income and resources who don't qualify for sufficient SSDI, retirement, or survivor benefits.

Well EXCUSE ME for trying to help!!!!! I was just saying she should look into ALL options!!!! Some people have very little in savings after a spouse dies!!!! 🙄